The invention relates to a motor vehicle door, and more particularly to a door which includes a simple latch assembly comprising a preassembled and inspectable functional module and a moisture barrier which separates a zone sealed from moisture, or dry zone, and an unsealed, or wet zone, wherein the latch lies completely within the dry zone.
German Patent No. 40 26 217 A1 discloses a motor vehicle door with an outside door panel and a completely closed inside door panel on which components are mounted. It is proposed to provide corrugations and indentations in the inside door panel which can accommodate components, such as inside door control, latching, and central locking mechanisms, as well as the conductors and linkages connected thereto.
With this arrangement, openings through the inside door panel from the wet zone into the dry zone are avoided and a reinforcement of the door body are supposed to be obtained. An inner door lining covers the beads and indentations with the components contained therein.
The window frame is set in the dry zone of the door body from above and bolted to it with its essentially vertical window frame mounting uprights. An electrical window lifter is also attached to these uprights.
This solution has the disadvantage that the latch disposed outside the body of the door must be designed very stable, and reinforcement measures must be provided in the region of its attachment to the inside door panel in order to obtain adequate resistance to it being ripped out. An economical dry zone design of the latch also cannot be used since the engagement region of the latch into which a locking element on the vehicle body engages is located in the wet zone.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,308,129 discloses a mounting plate with a window lifter, a control handle, and a latch, which is attached to a plastic mount moveably mounted on the mounting plate. On one side surface of the mounting plate, the latch is connected first by means of simple snap connections and then connected via a control link with the control handle. This is supposed to simplify preassembly and transportation. In the assembly of the door, separate attachment points are provided between the mounting plate and the door as well as between the latch and the door.
The design principle described provides for inserting the preassembled mounting plate in the wet zone, formed by the outside door panel and the inside door panel, in order to be able to ensure high resistance of the latch to being ripped out. Thus, all components must be used in the expensive wet zone design, or separate moisture protection measures must be taken.